During the dark years under George W. Bush, America was a veritable United States of Amnesia. Wars were waged oblivious of past disasters like Vietnam. Spending increased with nary a thought for the South Sea Bubble. And the major TV series of the era – Sex and the City, The Sopranos, The West Wing, Six Feet Under and 24 — all had a strongly present-day, America-centric perspective. That’s all changed over the last eight days, when a tsunami of four new major period dramas hit our TV screens.

Last night, Camelot took us back to 5th century England to tell us the story of King Arthur.

The Borgias, which also premiered last night, sumptuously re-created 15th century Rome and focused on Rodrigo Borgia, the Spanish cardinal who bribed his way to becoming Pope Alexander VI.